Pressured
by LinaOso
Summary: There was so much that they didn't say that misunderstandings were bound to occur. One shot.


Disclaimer: I do not own Reign

AN: Inspired by a thing on the tumblrs heh heh heh luvelles you bae. Not really like what I usually write. Enjoy the read my lovely loves.

"Catherine." His wife had been walking passed his table in the common room on her way out when he'd reached over for her wrist. "Wait a moment."

Halting her tracks as a dutiful wife would, the Queen turned to face her husband. "What is it, Henry? I've somewhere I need to be."

"Your books will wait." Her subtle frown told him he'd been spot on in his assumption. "I've a question - "

She didn't look at him as she answered. "Yes."

"You haven't even heard what I have to say." Henry's voice held a tint of amusement.

"Do I need to?" Catherine shot back.

"I'll see you later then."

Head held high, the Florentine walked with a quick step echoed by the laughter of men behind her. It was that time again. Diane had gone off to Paris and Henry was left with all the usual girls in the castle. He'd exhausted the chase out of the castle's current gathering of women a few days ago from what her ladies told her and so she was the only conquest left. Such a high honor to be her husband's last choice. Resigning herself to what the night had in store, Catherine had her ladies make her ready before waving them off. Running some of her personal perfume through her hair, she set the bottle aside and wondered why she even bothered. She knew the answer and hated herself for the weakness that it meant. The impenetrable fortress that was Catherine de Medici brought low by love of all things.

His wife was just finishing her book when he walked through the door. She made to stand, but he waved her back down, he had other things in mind. Henry saw the suspicious look in her eye as her hazels questioned him before turning them down once more to her page. Loving the way she looked like this, Henry took a moment to drink in the sight of his wife lovely and soft doing what she loved best. Walking around to behind the couch where she sat, the King draped her fragrant hair over one shoulder, loving the silky curls as they flowed through his fingers. Murmuring his appreciation of her copper locks, Henry bent over the back of the couch to kiss at the exposed skin below her ear. Catherine moved away from him as his lips brushed her flesh, resettling herself a bit further down the cushions as she turned the page. He tried again with the same result.

"Are my affections so ill received, my Queen?" His lips brushed against her ear with solemn reverence, his eyes enjoying the slope of her breasts from this angle.

"I'm reading, Henry." Catherine did her best not to be affected by his sensual tones running over the shell of her ear.

"We could write a story together." He murmured against the nape of her neck. "Let me find the words…"

Once more she moved away from him. "Just give me a moment, I'm nearly finished."

"Read faster." His fingers twirled in her loose hair, remembering when he used to do this all the time.

"Can't wait." She responded without missing a beat, another page being turned.

Henry marveled at how fast she could read, much faster than him. "You needn't be sarcastic, Catherine."

"Apologies, I forget myself." She said with only a hint of irritation.

"Stop it." He didn't want his ardor to be diminished by her.

Catherine couldn't help the smirk from leaking into her voice. "But it's so much fun."

"Do you even want me to be here?" He asked pushing down a sudden apprehension in his belly.

"Not when you're bothering my reading." Such a classic response.

He pointed out, "Any other woman in this castle would be glad to have a king in their bed tonight."

"Then find one more appreciative than I - oh, wait. I forgot. _You've had a ride on them all already._ Too bad you don't like repeating yourself too close together." Snapping her book closed Catherine rose laying her book down on the nearby table. "I just finished." The Queen gave a humorless bark of a laugh. "Funny, that's usually your line."

Such a wicked tongue he'd never heard on another woman aside from his wife. He shouldn't be so surprised to hear it, but still - no one would believe him if he told them of how crass his wife could be. Bringing her around to him, Henry wrapped his arms around his wife, moulding his lips to hers with a frustrated passion. She could rile him like no woman could, and yet, here he was wanting to possess her. Catherine was so unreachable at times with walls all around her that he, as her husband, should be able to break down with no trouble. How he labored to work against those walls. If France had defenses such as his wife had, they wouldn't be invaded for the rest of time. As it was, her lips barely moved against his, not even opening to the questing touch of his tongue. Why were his advances so repellant? She used to crave him as much as he did her.

With his touch came the knowledge that he'd had others, so many others. Catherine loved her husband, wanted him beyond any words she could say, but his touch made her cringe. She was doing her best to forget, to allow herself to enjoy this time with him, but it was difficult. Each woman was a betrayal of the love they once shared, a love that she wanted to protect in her memory when the nights were long and the winters cold. Hands moving up to rest against his chest, she squeezed her eyes shut to keep her desperate tears from making themselves known to him. Perhaps if she couldn't see him, she could pretend they were still young and he still loved her. She regretted shying away from him when he made to undo the laces at her front.

Breaking from her with a growl, Henry began to pace. Did she really not know him well enough to know that he wouldn't force himself on her if she truly didn't want him? Did she not trust him that much? Did she not know how he still - not that it mattered when her own heart had grown cold to him. Turning on his heel, he regarded his Queen from a distance. There she was in her silk nightgown, golden eyes trained on the floor as she leaned against the back of her couch waiting for him. Dutifully. It had only ever been out of duty that she lay with him, hadn't it? There was no fire in her for him, no spark that he could foster into something more. She only saw him as the man who gave her a title and a crown, a man who would pressure her into giving herself over to him. She wouldn't have that satisfaction tonight. Henry would show her he was no monster. Rejected and hurt that the woman he loved would think so lowly of him, the King sighed before giving her one last look.

Pride left the air singing with words unsaid as Henry left her once more.

AN: So there's this for you all, I hope you liked it!

If you want to get updates on my writing, take a look at my bio - there's a link there to my YouTube channel where I will now be posting videos about story updates. You can also send me questions about my writing, and I will also answer any questions you may have about your writing or roleplaying on Tumblr xo Lina loves you!


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